Giant Asteroid Flattened Half of Mars, Studies Suggest

In looking at the Martian hemispheric dichotomy (significant differences in the Martian crust over a large radius) simulations suggest that Mars was hit by something like a 1000 to 1700 mile wide asteroid about 4 billion years ago.

Very interesting article LowlyPion. I especially like the animation... Thankyou for posting that. Over the past six months or so i've taken an interest in investigating possible reasons behind the formation of the Tharsis Buldge and Valles Marineris... everything from superplumes to simple global contraction. I also like how this finding sheds a bit of light on the magnetism issue. A massive impact early after Mars's formation has been suspected for a while now, but this certainly reinforces the idea.

One assumes that rockhounding about on the planet would help to resolve these issues.

At the very least the idea that 1000 - 2000 mile boulders (and bigger if you consider our moon may have been another such event) bouncing about in the early solar system gives pinball a new meaning. It might have been interesting in the extreme to have been able to witness these events - of course and then be able to go home to a pleasant espresso after the show.

Thanks for the additional link to what looks like the source material for the Scientific American piece.